The Senate Standing Committee on Information, Communication and Technology has expressed displeasure over the failure by Safaricom PLC to honour an invitation to appear before it.
The committee had convened a meeting on Tuesday, March 17, where the Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom was expected to appear and respond to issues relating to service delivery and data protection, but the company failed to present itself as scheduled.
Members of the committee noted that the absence of the company’s leadership undermines its oversight mandate, particularly on matters that directly affect millions of subscribers across the country.
Senators emphasized that such engagements are crucial in ensuring accountability from key service providers operating within the telecommunications sector.
During the session, lawmakers raised concerns over persistent complaints from the public regarding low internet quality, dropped calls, poor voice service and network congestion.
The committee observed that these challenges continue to inconvenience both consumers and businesses, despite Safaricom’s position as a dominant player in the market.
The committee further stressed the need for urgent interventions to improve service quality, noting that reliable communication infrastructure remains critical for economic growth, access to information, and the delivery of essential services across the country.
Additionally, the meeting was set to deliberate on a statement sought by Migori Senator Eddy Oketch regarding the alleged breach of confidential subscriber information by Safaricom.
Members underscored the seriousness of the matter, highlighting the importance of protecting consumer data and upholding privacy standards in line with existing laws.
Senators expressed concern that the company’s failure to appear and respond to such weighty matters raises questions about accountability and responsiveness to public concerns.
They warned that continued absence could erode public trust and weaken regulatory oversight efforts.
The committee indicated that it will take appropriate steps to ensure that Safaricom appears before it to provide the required explanations, warning that continued failure to honour parliamentary invitations may attract further action.
This comes a week after Safaricom announced a new privacy feature on M-PESA that will conceal the sender’s phone number during money transfer transactions.
In a statement on Wednesday, March 11, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said protecting customer information remains central to Safaricom’s operations as M-PESA continues to evolve.
“As M-PESA turns 19 this month, we are reminded that the trust of our over 40 million M-PESA customers, who rely on this platform every day, is our greatest responsibility.
“That trust is built not only on the reliability of M-PESA, but also on how well we protect the personal information of those who use it,” he said.
Ndegwa explained that the company had taken into account feedback from users who raised concerns about privacy when sending money through the service.
“We have listened to customer concerns about privacy and are introducing a new enhancement that minimizes the personal information shared while conducting Send Money transactions on M-PESA,” he added.
According to Ndegwa, under the new feature, recipients will only see limited information about the person sending them money.
He added that recipients who need the sender’s full details may request from Safaricom within 24 hours of the transaction.
“With this update, recipients will see limited details of the sender, helping to protect their privacy while ensuring transactions are completed seamlessly. If the recipient needs the sender’s full details, they can request us for them within 24 hours of the transaction,” he explained.
Ndegwa said the process will also give senders control over whether their full information can be shared with the recipient.
According to the Safaricom CEO, a request system will allow recipients to seek the sender’s details, but only with the sender’s consent.
“The sender will receive a prompt asking whether they approve sharing their full details. If accepted, the recipient will receive the sender’s full name and mobile number via SMS. If declined, or if there is no response within 2 hours, the request will not go through,” he further said.
Safaricom said the feature will be rolled out in phases to ensure the feature works smoothly while maintaining the safety and reliability of the platform.
“We will be launching this feature by the end of this month, and plan to roll this out to the rest of our entire M-PESA ecosystem in subsequent phases, to ensure that our services continue to remain safe and secure for all our customers,” he concluded.
